The situation has played out over and again: homeowners rip up old carpet to find a gorgeous terrazzo floor underneath and say, “What now?” The flooring is likely dulled, stained, and full of holes from those pesky carpet tacks. It may seem like a big job with a lot of headache, but restoring terrazzo floors doesn’t have to be such a pain. It is a rather simple process that just needs a little care and know-how to back it up.

Terrazzo is a compound mixture of marble chips and either concrete or epoxy. Knowing what your terrazzo flooring is made with is the first step in determining what the best course of action is. This will determine a variety of factors-from what materials you should use to patch holes or cracks that you find-to what products are safe for cleaning your terrazzo floor.

This is an important point to bring up first. There are hundreds of products on the market for cleaning terrazzo flooring. But do not trust that being on the shelf of your nearest Home Depot means the product is effective or right for your floor. There are many products out there that are not only inappropriate for certain types of terrazzo, but could potentially harm the floor. So be aware of what cleaners you choose to do your initial cleaning, and consult a contractor if you have any doubts or confusion when it comes to these chemical products.

In many cases, just giving the flooring a good mopping with warm water to get the grime up will be sufficient-then after making necessary repairs, you will be able to polish your terrazzo. This will clean it without the use of chemical cleaners and is beneficial for many reasons. If you require patching for holes in your flooring, a terrazzo technician will already have to sand the patch down to match and level with the surface of the flooring. Also, polishing terrazzo as opposed to using chemical cleaners is much safer for your family, and the environment!

Polishing terrazzo involves grinding down a thin layer on the surface of your floors. This strips any discolored or stained terrazzo from the surface and exposes a bright, fresh layer. If you have any patches, you can be sure that they will be even after polishing your terrazzo. The amount of shine should be entirely even as well, and shine it will! Terrazzo restoration and polishing will bring out a gorgeous sheen in your flooring. Want more great news? After polishing, your terrazzo floor will last a lifetime with proper maintenance.

Knowing the right steps to proper upkeep is essential following terrazzo restoration. It’s gorgeous now! It’s up to you to maintain that beauty and sophistication. This can be as easy as sweeping or dry mopping your flooring a few times a week, having a penetrating sealant applied to prevent staining, or having an annual professional cleaning. Your local area contractor is your number one resource for information, and he or she will help you determine a maintenance schedule fitting to your particular flooring. Regardless of what avenue you take, however, sit back and enjoy your (well, sort of) new flooring!